They’d met up tonight at SeaTac. Quan had been with Eva from the minute she’d arrived at JFK, joined her on the plane—without her knowledge, of course—and had just finished telling Gabriel about some frat boy who’d sat next to her and tried to strike up a conversation a few times. He’d swear the information was only being shared to poke the bear.
But then, his boys weren’t aware he was lusting after his charge, so maybe not.
“He wasn’t a threat?”
“No.”
“Then why am I hearing about it?” he snapped while noting Eva’s gaze was focused on the large weeping willow a few hundred yards from her driveway. His Escalade was parked in its shadows. He tensed, even though there was no way she could see them under the cover of the dewy branches and lightless night.
“Just keeping you informed.”
There was an odd note in Quan’s dry statement that Gabriel didn’t want to examine. Fuckin’ guy was too observant for his own good, he thought as he absently measured the length of Eva’s legs. Looong. And, man, her waist was tiny. That goddamn hair. He wanted to wrap the shiny mass around his wrist and use it as leverage to pull her back onto his aching—
Shutting that shit down, he silently cursed and forced his gaze away to scan the area, even though Quan would be on it. Gripping the steering wheel as Eva finally turned and disappeared into the house—thank fuck—he confirmed, “Nick gave the all clear?”
Nick Delvecio, Eva’s neighbor, had been planted in the house on the right by Vasily himself. The retired enforcer had been with the Moretti family for more than twenty years before being relocated here.
Quan nodded. “He slipped out the back door when she was dropped off.”
Satisfied with that, Gabriel settled in. He’d stay for just a little while, even though there were already eyes on the house.
He had to move forward with the job thing, he thought after a few minutes of silence. Get her installed in his office as soon as he could. Because with Stefano now onto her, she needed to be as close as Gabriel could get her. To protect her as only he knew how.
A rush of heat rippled over his skin as his mind fast-forwarded to tomorrow evening.
Ready or not, the time had come for him and his charge to meet.
FOUR
Praying she wasn’t about to be bombarded with belated condolences, Eva walked beneath the enormous canopy sheltering the entrance of the Crown Jewel from the steady drizzle and passed through a set of self-propelled revolving doors. The lobby she entered displayed the kind of luxury that for some reason always made her think of her father. Forty-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers, exotic plants three times her size, Zen music piped in to encourage peaceful feelings.
Was this the type of place he frequented? Was he into real estate? Financing? Hedge funds? It was pretty pathetic that she didn’t even know how he’d made his wealth. Even worse, he could walk by her right now and she wouldn’t have a clue he was the man who’d broken her mother’s heart by leaving her on her own to raise a baby at nineteen.
Maybe she was lucky she didn’t have someone like that in her life, she thought, not for the first time. Could be he’d done them a favor by leaving.
Lifting her chin, she moved across the beautifully patterned marble floor, bypassing posh, cozy groupings of chairs and love seats and sparkling glass-topped tables graced with heavy crystal vases overflowing with an exotic array of flowers.
The soft gurgle of a massive aquarium beckoned her to the far side of the lobby. She paused there a moment to watch the graceful movements of two bright-blue fish playing tag through the seaweed.
It’s Caleb, honey. Read up.
Frowning at the faint sound of Caleb’s voice, Eva chuckled as she brought her clutch purse up and opened it to take out her phone. Okay. Apparently, the last time they’d been together, the dork had recorded a personalized ringtone.
Still nothing on SM. Gotta tread carefully on this one
Like she wasn’t aware of that. K. Just arrived at the gala. Funny tone btw
Thought you’d like it. Nik with you?
No
That fucker
Because she knew he was referring to Kevin, she agreed. I know :(
Later
She put her phone away, glad she’d at least been able to spend the better part of the day with Nika, dusting and airing out the house. With Eva having shared an apartment with three other girls in New York, there hadn’t been much to unpack, so once they were through, they’d sat on the back deck, an open jar of olives between them, catching up.
That was when Eva had noticed the sparkle that used to light her friend’s eyes was now only a dim ember. Between the two of them, Nika had always been the instigator, the daring, playful one, the let’s-just-try-it one who’d dragged the more conservative Eva along for the ride. Not in an irresponsible way, but just…fun.
Now her friend was different. Checked. Guarded, even with Eva, who planned on getting to the bottom of it because the transformation had come about only after Kevin had entered the picture.
Leaving the aquarium behind, Eva made her way to the rear of the hotel. When she spied a restroom, she quickly ducked in to check that the humidity and drizzle hadn’t done any lasting damage. Her reflection in the too-bright fluorescents showed the navy silk she’d chosen to wear was still wrinkle-free even after the car-ride. Floor-length, the elegant creation hung straight down from crystal-crusted straps and had a midthigh split up the left side that showed off her silver heels. Those beauties boosted her height to just above six feet, and tonight, already knowing she’d be a head above many of the guests, she didn’t mind that at all. It made her feel good for a change. Less like the weaker sex.
“Are you here for the benefit?” the waiting attendant asked as Eva turned to leave.
“Yes, I am.”
She pointed to a secondary exit being used by two ladies who were dressed as formally as Eva. “That door’s closer to the ballroom.”
“Thank you.”
Seconds later, Eva was staring out over a room filled with scores of beautifully decorated tables, the chairs so closely packed together they nearly touched. Thank God it was just cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and not one of those long, drawn-out, sit-down dinners. Small talk was stressful enough under the best of circumstances, much less at her first social outing since her mother’s death, with people who’d known them both for years.
“Champagne?”
A cute, ginger-haired waiter stood next to her, smiling as he held out the full tray he carried.
“Thank you.” She accepted one and sipped from the crystal flute, instantly wrinkling her nose at the bubbles that popped into her eyes.
As a string quartet played on a raised dais in front of the large windows, Eva used her height to her advantage, surreptitiously scanning the affluent crowd in search of—
Him.
A shot of adrenaline streamed into her veins. She held herself still, breathing through the jolt as her plan to find her mom’s friends faded from her mind. Her pulse rocketed when her eyes met and locked with the eye-candy she’d seen last week after her TarMor interview.
The muscles in her lower belly quivered as the man once again stared at her with the same intensity she remembered from before. He had tousled black hair, cut tight in the back but left a little longer in the front. His jaw and cheekbones were hard and angular, and that tuxedo-clad body was all wide shoulders tapering to a firm waist and long legs. Somewhere in his mid-thirties, the guy was per-freaking-fection, complete with an engage-at-your-own-risk aura that was as seductive as it was unnerving.
What was he doing here, on the other side of the country? And was he looking at her like that because he remembered her? Or did he look at all women like that?
Her breath caught when he came forward, offering her a gracious, almost old-fashioned nod. “Evening.”
His voice was smooth and deeeeep, and close up she was able to see his eyes were a lush mossy green. She bl
inked when the corner of his lips edged up. He didn’t smile. But his expression warmed slightly. As if he’d relaxed a little.
Even though she still hadn’t responded to his greeting.
Nice.
She cleared her throat. “Good evening.”
He glanced around. “Your date is either a confident man or a foolish one, leaving you unattended.”
She swallowed a lame, flattered giggle that should be reserved for high school freshmen and sent her gaze on a quick spin around before bringing it back to where it wanted to be. On him. “My date couldn’t make it.” Her pulse fluttered as his eyes went flat.
“Really. He’s foolish then.”
“She. And, no, she’s actually really intelligent.”
He raised a questioning brow. “She?”
“My best friend. She and her husband had plans, which prevented her from being my date tonight.”
At ease again, he appeared almost pleased by that. “I see. Well, I can’t say I’m sorry things didn’t work in your favor.”
Same. She cringed inside, offering Nika a silent apology. “Do you remember me?” She wanted to chew on her tongue when that slipped out.
Something flashed in his eyes before they narrowed, roaming her features with a familiarity that was heady rather than disturbing. “I remember you.”
Did he? Really? “From where?”
His chuckle was quiet, but she heard it. “Manhattan. Last Friday. In the lobby of the TarMor building. Blue-and-black dress. Black shoes. Your hair was up, like it is now, but more casual—”
She held up a hand while doing her best not to grin. “Okay.” He remembered her. He really remembered her. “I believe you.”
“Gabriel Moore.”
“Eva Jacobs.”
He enveloped her hand in his much larger one, and as a spark traveled up to zap her in the chest, something else unfurled inside her, coming to life, pulling to the surface, drawn out by this man who smelled like fresh rain after a thunderstorm.
“Champagne, Mr. M?”
Gabriel shook his head once to send the waiter on his way.
Eva barely noticed. She was lost in the moment. Their hands together. Him towering over her. Yes. Towering. Over her. He had to be about six-five, she guessed as he released her.
“Do you work at TarMor?” he asked, his gaze boldly, lazily tracing her features.
“Uh, no. I, well, I might. In the future. I was there for a job interview.”
“Did you get it?”
She sipped on her champagne. When she really wanted to chug it. “I’m not sure yet. I haven’t heard.”
He made a quiet sound in his throat. “Show me a man who could pass up the opportunity to stare at you all day and I’ll introduce you to his boyfriend.”
She giggled—giggled like that stupid freshman! “You sound like a friend of mine.” Caleb would have said something like that. “Thing is, this interviewer was a woman. I didn’t meet the man I’d be working for.”
“Excuse me, Mr. M?”
Gabriel turned his head toward the interruption, his tightening jaw releasing when the same waiter who’d passed by a minute ago stood next to them holding a squat glass filled with ice and a clear liquid.
He accepted it with a nod. “You’ll definitely be rewarded for your initiative, Liam. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Liam grinned at her, his eager look saying that had been the point. He disappeared into the crowd as Gabriel took a drink. Weirdly, she watched his mouth, and, seriously, it was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen.
Jesus. She wanted to fan herself. What the hell was in the champagne? Had to be something, because she did not react this way to men. Ever.
“Do you want it?”
Yeah. For the first time in her life, she was pretty sure she did. “Er, pardon?” But that wasn’t what he was asking.
A glimmer of amusement lightened his eyes. “The job, sweetheart.”
As an embarrassed groan filled her head, she repositioned her clutch under her arm and took another sip of champagne. “I didn’t at first. But the headhunter convinced me the position would be a good stepping-stone.”
“To what?”
“A successful career.” Was the A/C even on? “I’m not impressed by the TarMor job title because it doesn’t quite offset the expectations four years of Columbia brings.” Gabriel didn’t appear hot. Well, he was fire, but not sweaty. “But it’s still a great opportunity to gain on-the-job experience.” What would he look like sweaty? “Which will set me up for a director, or even a VP position, not far down the road.”
He nodded as she pictured him, white t-shirt stuck to this chest, hair dripping, face glistening. “Smart. I’ve run across too many young executives who invite failure by moving too high too fast. Have you recently graduated, or have you been in the market for a while?”
“I graduated this month.”
“Congratulations.” The ice rattled in his glass as he tipped it back—his throat, gawd. “And you’ve moved home? Or are you in Seattle on vacation?”
“Seattle is home,” she admitted. “I grew up here. What about you?” she snuck in when the lust cleared and she was able to form a question. “Were you in New York on business? Or are you from there?”
“Born and raised in Queens, but I reside—for the time being anyway—here in Seattle. Upstairs, as a matter of fact.”
Her brows came down. “Upstairs? You mean, you live here? In the hotel?”
He nodded, his eyes scanning the area around them. Again. What was he looking for? Or who? A supermodel date?
Ugh. Definitely something she didn’t want to entertain.
He took another drink. “I couldn’t be bothered buying a place when I wasn’t sure I’d stay here permanently. And since I own the hotel, it just makes sense.”
He’d spoken absently and without pretension, but Eva still balked. “You own this hotel?” she squeaked.
He nodded. “My partner and I.”
“Business partner,” she said quickly, to clarify, and then felt her cheeks burn.
“Yes.” His confirmation came with an amused look. “Business partner. So tell me, are you here tonight because you’ve been personally affected or are you just supporting?”
Some of her happiness seeped away. “My mom always helped organize this particular event,” she explained as she swirled the champagne in her glass. “Though, I think we’ve all been affected in one way or another by cancer. My best friends lost both their parents to it. I’ve never personally known a child who suffered through the disease, though. But if I were to wait for such a tragedy before supporting the cause, that would make me pretty selfish. Don’t you think?”
As she talked, he casually reached out and plucked her champagne flute from her fingers and replaced it with a fresh one from a passing waitress. Smooth, unhurried movements.
“I agree. You said your mother ‘used to’ aid the organization. She’s moved on to another?”
Eva shook her head. “She recently passed away.”
Genuine sympathy entered his eyes. “I’m sorry, Eva. Losing a mother can be devastating. So it’s just you and your father now? Or do you have siblings?”
Wow. Talk about ripping the Band-Aid off. He’d blown through that so quickly she barely felt it. “I’m an only child, and my father isn’t around.”
“At all?”
“No. He left when I was a baby. I wouldn’t know him if he was standing right next to me.”
Twirling the stem of her champagne flute, Eva had to admit that, with Gabriel holding her attention, if Harry and Dumbledore strolled over, she wasn’t sure she’d take any notice of them either.
† † †
As sympathy swam through him on Eva’s behalf, Gabriel’s attention remained locked and loaded.
He’d never been happier that Alek had agreed when he’d suggested they renovate and rebrand the Crown Jewel, and not sell it off as they’d originally planned. Without the hotel, he an
d Eva would be having this first conversation a few blocks over at the convention center on Eighth and Pike. Being here, in his place, no one could say a goddamn thing if he did whatever the fuck he wanted with her, for as long and as loudly as he wanted. And that was satisfying. Almost as satisfying as finally interacting with this woman who’d haunted him for weeks now.
For the first time since seeing her picture and having her safety thrust into his hands, he was at ease. She was in his house and under his protection.
Which meant he had to at least attempt to play the role of gentleman, so he set aside thoughts of getting her tangled in his sheets and continued “getting to know her.” She was heartbreakingly nonchalant about Vasily’s absence from her life.
“Have you ever had the urge to find him?”
Eva shifted, moving closer to him for a moment as a group of women walked by. Gabriel swallowed a groan as her scent surrounded him. Feminine. Sweet but natural. Like honey.
She took another sip from her glass before answering, the deep sapphire eyes she shared with her father narrowing. “Have you ever been told you ask a lot of personal questions?”
Busted. To her, they were two people who had seen each other once, across the lobby of a random building in New York. She had no idea how well he actually knew her.
“Forgive me.”
Her easy smile kicked him square in the teeth. “It’s okay, and, no, I won’t be searching him out anytime soon. So, now that you know my deepest, darkest secret, why don’t you tell me one of yours.”
Okay, sweetheart. I was raised in a violent world where only the strong survive. Raised to be nothing more than a merciless crime boss meant to lead my Italian organized crime family straight to the top. I’ve killed men, have beaten them to where they’re no longer recognizable, stabbed others, shot even more, and have broken more laws than even your local politicians. And even though I’m aware of the possibly deadly consequences, I want you to be mine.
Riiight. He ignored her offer completely and slipped into host mode. “Would you like more champagne? Or something to eat?”
Vengeance Unleashed (The Wanted Men Series Book 1) Page 4
